ANDREA JENKYNS
Politically Speaking (Wakefield Express)

Ploughing extra money into an organisation does not guarantee services and standards will improve. We need to pull together, stop protectionist propaganda, be productive and face up to the fact all organisations including the NHS can be improved.

Under this government there are now over 8,000 fewer managers and 4,000 more doctors in the NHS, whilst a Department of Health study has shown up to £500 million could be recovered from overseas visitors’ use of the NHS every year.

It’s time for action to ensure the NHS is a National Health Service – not an international one. These independent reports prove this is a serious problem the Government was right to address and this is the way forward for all of our sake.

The cost of living is a concern for all of us, and it is disappointing to hear that energy suppliers are set to increase their prices.

I am pleased that the Conservative led Government is legislating to force suppliers to automatically put the customer on the lowest tariffs, while encouraging competition among suppliers which will help to keep prices down.

The Labour Party doubled gas bills while in office and their current policy is not an energy freeze. Within 12 hours Ed Miliband himself admitted he would break his promise if wholesale prices rose. Energy companies would simply raise prices before and raise prices after the freeze to avoid it. He also wants a decarbonisation target, which would add £125 to every household’s bill.

The Conservative led Government had to deal with the worst peace time recession  and has achieved a great deal so far, but good news stories never always make the news. It has helped freeze council tax for 3 years in a row, seen an average tax cut of £700 for 25 million people and 2.7 million people taken out of tax altogether, helped businesses create 1.4 million new jobs, the deficit is cut by a third, employment is up and 29.87 million people are now in work.

The UK’s economy grew by 0.8% in Q3 and the government announced it is supporting British Motorists by freezing the MOT test price and putting in measures to clamp down on high motorway fuel prices.

It is also helping families with childcare with a scheme which means families effectively pay no tax on the income that goes towards paying for childcare and have extended free childcare.  It is these types of measures helping secure the future of all of us.

Things are not easy for any of us, but at least we are striving to improve Britain and ensure all of our futures are brighter.